✨(frontend) add configurable external redirect for unauthenticated users

Offer a way to redirect unauthenticated users to an external home page when they
visit the app, allowing a more marketing-focused entry point with a clearer
value proposition.

In many self-hosted deployments, the default unauthenticated home page is not
accessible or already redirects elsewhere. To ensure resilience, the client
briefly checks that the target page is reachable and falls back to the default
page if not.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ and this project adheres to
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- ✨(frontend) add configurable redirect for unauthenticated users #904
+
 ### Changed
 
 - ♿️(frontend) add accessible back button in side panel #881

src/backend/meet/settings.py

@@ -336,6 +336,9 @@ class Base(Configuration):
         "feedback": values.DictValue(
             {}, environ_name="FRONTEND_FEEDBACK", environ_prefix=None
         ),
+        "external_home_url": values.Value(
+            None, environ_name="FRONTEND_EXTERNAL_HOME_URL", environ_prefix=None
+        ),
         "use_french_gov_footer": values.BooleanValue(
             False, environ_name="FRONTEND_USE_FRENCH_GOV_FOOTER", environ_prefix=None
         ),

src/frontend/src/api/useConfig.ts

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export interface ApiConfig {
   feedback: {
     url: string
   }
+  external_home_url?: string
   silence_livekit_debug_logs?: boolean
   is_silent_login_enabled?: boolean
   custom_css_url?: string

src/frontend/src/features/home/routes/Home.tsx

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { RiAddLine, RiLink } from '@remixicon/react'
 import { LaterMeetingDialog } from '@/features/home/components/LaterMeetingDialog'
 import { IntroSlider } from '@/features/home/components/IntroSlider'
 import { MoreLink } from '@/features/home/components/MoreLink'
-import { ReactNode, useState } from 'react'
+import { ReactNode, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { css } from '@/styled-system/css'
 import { menuRecipe } from '@/primitives/menuRecipe.ts'
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { usePersistentUserChoices } from '@/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/usePers
 import { useConfig } from '@/api/useConfig'
 import { LoginButton } from '@/components/LoginButton'
 import { ApiRoom } from '@/features/rooms/api/ApiRoom'
+import { LoadingScreen } from '@/components/LoadingScreen'
 
 const Columns = ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => {
   return (
@@ -155,9 +156,34 @@ export const Home = () => {
 
   const { mutateAsync: createRoom } = useCreateRoom()
   const [laterRoom, setLaterRoom] = useState<null | ApiRoom>(null)
+  const [redirectFailed, setRedirectFailed] = useState(false)
 
   const { data } = useConfig()
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const checkSiteAndRedirect = async () => {
+      if (!data?.external_home_url) return
+      if (isLoggedIn === false) {
+        try {
+          await fetch(data.external_home_url, {
+            method: 'HEAD', // Use HEAD to avoid downloading the full page
+            mode: 'no-cors', // Needed for cross-origin requests
+          })
+          window.location.replace(data.external_home_url)
+        } catch (error) {
+          setRedirectFailed(true)
+          console.error('Site is not reachable:', error)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    checkSiteAndRedirect()
+  }, [isLoggedIn, data])
+
+  if (data?.external_home_url && isLoggedIn == false && !redirectFailed) {
+    return <LoadingScreen header={false} footer={false} delay={0} />
+  }
+
   return (
     <UserAware>
       <Screen>